Changing Roles in Communications Departments (What's social media got to do with it?)

What’s social media got to do with it?

Changing Roles in Communications Departments

UCDA Design Summit 2012Susan T. Evans | Senior Strategist | mStoner

1. Excellent results from social media2. Changing communication roles3. Renewal and rejuvenation

Today’s Plan

Everything is connected to

everything else.

http://mstnr.me/9uemQS

Michael Stoner (2010)

A social media strategy is a

communication strategy.

http://bit.ly/qNONL2

Susan T. Evans (2010)

#getresultsSocial Media Campaign = Focused effort to achieve goals using a variety of channels appropriate to the results sought.

Oregon State University

Nazareth College

Print + Web + Social(What’s one more?)

Process(for Print + Web + Social)

✓Research and discovery

✓Crowdsource content

✓Creative concept development

✓Target audience testing

✓Design, editorial & production

✓Launch and integrate multiple channels

Crowdsource the copy.

“What is an object that means William & Mary to you?”

“How would you describe William & Mary in a Tweet or a Facebook status?”

Crowdsource the photos.

Crowdsource post-launch.

Integrate multiple channels.

Please, connect the dots for your audience.

Integrate. Again, I say, integrate!

Case Study: William & Mary Ampersandbox

Said two alumni...

What makes it work?

• Partnerships with other campus units• Blending content from the .edu website

and the social media channels• Spending time and resources to produce

great content (it always makes things easier)

Try this:

• Determine purpose, relevance and importance of each channel

• Develop flexible content that can be used in multiple ways

•Crowdsource to get the talent and authenticity of students (and faculty and alumni and the rest of your community)

•Specific goals•More planning/less spontaneous•Make a commitment and be consistent•Institutional buy-in and support•Multiple channels •Multiple sources of content•Sense of humor•Planned evolution (track reactions/patterns)•Monitor results

Look familiar?

#thebasics

It’s the conversation,

stupid.Keep up your end.

Beware of trolls.Don’t respond.

I was once paid to write Tweets for

a squirrel.

Make it fun and on message.

It’s like telling your kids about

sex.Answer the question that is asked.

Good news!

You built a following.Follow a strategy.

#getinthegame

No one cares about your

career more than you do.

Gene Roche

What does it take?

•Adaptability (being okay with uncertainty)

•Raise your hand(taking a risk)

•Change(again and again and again)

Somewhere, it’s out there.• A List Apart (for people who make websites)

http://www.alistapart.com/

• eduStyle (inspiration for campus web designers)http://www.edustyle.net/

• boagworld (for all those who design, develop & run websites)http://boagworld.com/

• LAYERS (the how-to magazine for everything Adobe)http://layersmagazine.com/

Somewhere, it’s out there.• Smashing Magazine

(quality content for the design community)http://www.smashingmagazine.com/

• EDUniverse (the network for intergalactic edu knowledge)http://eduniverse.org/

• SEOmoz (search engine marketing)http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo/why-search-engine-marketing-is-necessary

My favorite professional development tool...

My favorite professional development tool...

You on the Interwebs.

Looking to self-promote?

Questions?#crowdsource

Thanks.

Susan T. EvansSenior [email protected]@susantevansoffice: 757.565.1726mobile: 757.903.1120

http://clients.mstoner.com/UCDA2012/socialmedia/